12 Creative Cheeseburgers for National Cheeseburger Day

Oh, what a wonderful week. Yesterday was National Apple Dumpling Day. Tomorrow is National Butterscotch Pudding Day.

And today, sandwiched between these sweet occasions, is National Cheeseburger Day.

In celebration of this momentous day, here are twelve particularly delicious specimens of creative gourmet cheeseburgers. All of these meat, bread, and cheese creations are inspiring, but even better, several come with recipes so that you can get cooking
and recreate the magic at home.

Bacon grilled cheeseburger:

Cranberry brie burger:

For a heavenly melange of flavors, follow the example of Sprouted Kitchen
and pair a grass-fed beef patty with creamy brie, tart cranberries, and savory scallions. Sandwich it all on a homemade bun and you'll have a cheeseburger most memorable. Recipe here
.

Creating a gourmet burger like this requires an artisanal touch. Learn how to make artisan bread and the ins and outs of cheese making to dish up a similarly delectable burger with homemade flair.

Cheeseburger waffle sliders:

At Philadelphia's PYT
, one of the appetizers is a curious platter of small cheeseburgers served between mini waffle fry "buns". They don't share the recipe, but the construction seems easy enough to re-create at home with whatever toppings or garnish you'd like.

Deep-fried cheeseburger:

Scotland is famous as the place that brought Deep-Fried candy bars into the spotlight. But they don't stop there. Apparently, they like to fry cheeseburgers, too! With bacon, of course. Recipe here.

Beet burger:

And on the other side of the spectrum, a virtuous veggie burger. Though healthy, it's still very tasty, made with black beans, rice, and beets. To complement those earthy flavors, a thick slice of cheese is most welcome. Recipe here.

Firecracker burger:

This cheeseburger was an award-winning entry in an "Ultimate Cheeseburger" recipe contest. It's not hard to see why: topping a burger with a blue cheese
and sour cream stuffed pepper sounds like a spicy, decadent delight. Recipe here.

Green chile cheeseburger:

Chile is the official state vegetable of New Mexico, and it's frequently put to beautiful use on the state's famous Green Chile Cheeseburger. The best versions start with a grass-fed beef patty, topped with cheese and green chile, which melt together into a gooey, slightly spicy mess on top of what promises to be a five-napkin burger. Recipe here.

French onion soup burger:

In New York City's East Village, there's a French Revolution afoot. And leading revolution is the French onion soup burger at Little Prince. A thick beef patty is covered with caramelized onion, Gruyère cheese and béchamel sauce and served between English muffin halves.

Among the 5 mother sauces
of French cuisine, béchamel can be incorporated into a variety of classic dishes, but adds a particularly unique flavor to the traditional burger!

Baguette burger:

Adding French onion fixins isn't the only way to French-ify your burgers. Why not serve them on baguette buns? Either make full-sized burgers and serve them on hunks of homemade baguette
, or slice the baguette into "coins" and use them to serve sliders, with a slice of a fancy French cheese, mais oui. Recipe here.

Cheese-filled burger:

Why have cheese on top of your burger when you can stuff it inside? In the Minneapolis area, they enjoy something called a "Jucy Lucy" (yes, it's spelled like that) which consists of two thin patties fused together on the grill with cheese between them. The result is a burger that oozes cheese when bitten into. Recipe here.

Mac and cheeseburger:

Exactly what it sounds like. A burger is topped with mac and cheese. So simple, yet so splendid. And in this case, caramelized onions too, making a burger that adds a pinkies out aspect to this meeting place of humble foodstuffs. Recipe here.

Not an actual cheeseburger:

This burger's a fake--it's actually cake! Fondant
is expertly used to create the look of this sculpted burger cake
, which is topped with a slice of fondant-formed cheese, and egg, and garnished with "onion rings". The perfect dessert after a cheeseburger feast!

What type of cheese do you prefer on your burgers?

With its bright color and tart taste, rhubarb is a must-grow veggie for your spring garden. While you may not want to munch on the raw stalks — they're fairly sour — rhubarb becomes sweeter (and recipe-ready) when cooked. And because it's so versatile, you can incorporate it into a variety of dishes to satisfy your exact craving.

S'mores are a classic campfire treat, but those flavors you know and love can taste just as satisfying sans-campfire! These three frozen snacks are perfect for a hot summer's day, and you only need a few quick recipes to pull 'em all together.

Bananas foster is a classic New Orleans dessert, but you don't have to visit Louisiana to indulge in its sweet flavor. You can make it right in your kitchen without any fancy equipment — just grab your trusty skillet and those extra-ripe bananas, and you're on your way to a tasty, retro-fabulous dessert.

Béchamel sauce is one of the five mother sauces, and therefore a staple of French cuisine. You can often find it in chicken and fish dishes, or incorporated into lasagna or other baked pasta meals. And despite how fancy-schmancy it sounds, you don't need any crazy ingredients or tools to make it.

If you love the idea of a bananas foster but don't want to risk singeing your brows with a flambé, this recipe is just what you need. It has all the classic flavors, but instead of flambéing you heat the alcohol with butter at the beginning of the recipe. That way you still get a rich caramel flavor in your finished dessert — without any flames needed.

Pumpkin purée is a staple of fall baking and the key to many delicious pumpkin treats. While opting for the canned variety can speed up your baking process, making your own purée from an actual pumpkin can further boost that pumpkin flavor and give you leftover seeds to roast. Here's how to DIY the stuff from scratch; then it's time to start baking!

There's nothing better than a home-cooked dinner, especially one that doesn't require much work on your part. That's the beauty of the slow cooker — all you need is a little prep time and these delicious recipes to get a soul-soothing meal on the table with a minimal amount of effort.

This hot chocolate is set apart from your run-of-the-mill mix thanks to one key ingredient: pumpkin pie spice. The iconic blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg gives your drink a burst of fall flavor — so sip on a cup while digging into a hearty slice of pie.

When you add caramel and a pinch of sea salt to spiced apple cider, you know you're doing fall right. This cozy drink is perfect for both the morning and evening, especially when sipped alongside a tasty pumpkin treat.

There's nothing worse than realizing your loaf of bread has gone stale before you had the chance to use it all. But don't despair — with some kitchen creativity (and a few recipes up your sleeve), you can work a little magic so it lives to see another day.

Warm days call for iced coffee. But you don't have to drop serious cash at the coffee shop every day — all you need to make a batch of cold brew is whole coffee beans, a grinder and some good ole' fashioned patience.

A top-notch guacamole is a must-have, whether you're serving it as a standalone snack or an appetizer before a full-blown Mexican feast. But you don't always have to use a classic recipe — getting a little creative with the ingredients is a fun way to liven up your taste buds. Pair any of these recipes with a handmade margarita and your Taco Tuesdays, Cinco de Mayo or regular ole' weekend is sure to get a whole lot tastier.

Now that DreamWorks' Trolls World Tour is streaming, it's definitely time for a family movie night. But not just any movie night — a colorful one! Rather than a regular ole' bowl of buttered popcorn, go on and make it more fun with rainbow popcorn. Your little trolls will love it!

Yes, it is possible to make Pop Rocks, the famously fizzy candy, right in your own kitchen. No, you don't need any special equipment or a science degree. This at-home version of the classic candy attains its magical fizz through a combination of citric acid and baking soda. Time for a fun kitchen experiment!

If you're looking for an easy way to add color and flavor to your salads, cookies and cakes, look no further than your garden. There are more edible flowers out there than you might think, and you may already have a few growing in your own backyard. Pick 'em, clean 'em and get ready for some colorful munching.